Hey, Get a Job! (NEW – 2 credits – EDPD 5323) Teachers, give your students a great advantage by taking this dynamic course to learn what today’s employers expect from your students. In a struggling economy, teens can’t afford to learn job skills through trial and error.

Integrating the Web into your Classroom (1 credit – EDTC 5363) Learn to develop a website that you can use to manage student assignments, communicate information to parents and students, and provide online interactive resources to enhance curriculum. This is an online course you can complete on your home computer.

Students Who Drive You Crazy (2 credits – EDPD 5721) This course examines the reasons that some students “drive teachers crazy.” Common types of “crazy-makers” will be described and techniques for coping considered. Some focus will be on teachers’ own personalities and how these interact with students who “drive you crazy.” (2 credits)

Enhancing Instruction with Power Point (1 credit – EDTC 5202) PowerPoint is a wonderful tool for learning in both a student and teacher-directed situation. It can add a new dimension to learning allowing teachers to explain abstract concepts, while accommodating all learning styles. Used properly, PowerPoint can be one of the most powerful tools for disseminating information ever known.

Portfolios For Authentic Assessment (1 credit – EDAS 5611) This is a class for primary (pre-kindergarten through third grade) teachers who are interested in viewing the progress of the whole child, not just the part that is displayed through standardized testing on a given day. Learn how to develop authentic assessment and give children a chance to take ownership of their progress.

The Idaho Education Academy is a partnership between Northwest Nazarene University and the Idaho Education Association. Credits earned are applicable to salary schedule advancement and recertification requirements. IEA members are eligible for discounts and members and non-members who take at least two courses receive a refund of 10 percent. In addition, the Idaho Education Academy makes a $2.50 contribution in your name to the Idaho Education Association’s Fund for each credit for which you enroll. For more information or to sign up for classes, click here or contact Terry Gilbert at (208) 695-9262 or info@idahoeducationacademy.com.

Do you have an idea for a course? The Idaho Education Academy is seeking qualified, inspiring instructors to develop and present new courses starting with the winter 2011 term. If you have a master’s degree (preferred) and an idea for a course you’d like to teach, you can find more information and an application here. Academy founder Terry Gilbert will work with each interested presenter to develop a course and have it approved by the Idaho Education Association and Northwest Nazarene University.

September 1 is the launch date for NASA's Explorer Schools project, NASA's gateway for middle school (grades 4-8) and high school (grades 9-12) classrooms. NES provides free teaching and learning resources that promote student engagement in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). The project provides opportunities for teachers and students to participate in NASA's mission of research and discovery through inquiry-based experiences directly related to the work of NASA scientists and engineers. All participants must be U.S. citizens. Each must be an administrator, aide, curriculum specialist, educator, guidance counselor, media specialist, resource teacher or student teacher in a state- or nationally accredited K-12 education institution in the United States or a U.S territory. Click here for more info, or email nasa-explorer-schools@mail.nasa.gov.

September 10 is the deadline for the MetLife Foundation’s “Music! Words! Opera!” Teacher Training Program provides grants to professional opera company members and their school partners to host training workshops for teachers using OPERA America's multi-level curriculum series, focusing on opera masterpieces while allowing students to produce their own opera. Since its inception in 1990, “Music! Words! Opera!” has served more than 32,500 students, nearly 1,300 music educators and over 600 music programs. Click here for more information.

October 15 is the deadline to apply for the Fulbright Classroom Teacher Exchange Program, where participants exchange classroom teaching assignments and related school duties with an international teacher. The 2011-2012 participating countries are the Czech Republic, France, Hungary, India, Mexico, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. You must have three years of teaching experience, a B.A. degree, and be currently employed in a full-time teaching position. Get more information here.

Verizon Thinkfinity – With the new school year here, are you looking for fresh lesson plans? Thinkfinity, a project of the Verizon Foundation, has tens of thousands of free, high-quality lesson plans, worksheets, interactive learning tools, and more, all indexed by grade level and subject to help teachers find a wealth of materials that meet state standards. Thinkfinity partners with organizations including the National Council of Teachers of English, the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the Council for Economic Education and others to keep content up-to-date and relevant. New resources are being added all the time, and educators can also access professional development information, a community forum to share experiences and ideas, and much more. Explore the offerings at http://www.thinkfinity.org/.